Carton package



April 5, 1960 Filed Jan. 8, 1954 L. MOGIHON CARTON PACKAGE 3Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. [ION/4P0 NG/Ha/V Arrow 5r April 5, 1960 MOGIHON2,931,490

CARTON PACKAGE Filed Jan. 8, 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. Zia/W00M'wav L. M GIHON April 5, 1960 CARTON PACKAGE 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 FiledJan. 8, 1954 INVEN TOR. LEONARD M GIHON ATTORNEYS CARTON PACKAGE LeonardMcGihon, San Leandro, Califi, assignor, by mesne asisgnments, toAlexander Donald, doing business as King Sales & Engineering Co.

Application January 8, 1954, Serial No. 402,872

1 Claim. (Cl. 206-65) The present invention relates to rectangularcartons of the type having open sides after packing and providing a viewof the containers therein, and is concerned more from a collapsedcondition, whichalso adapt the cartonto different can heights, whichadapt the carton to be held open for entering of the cans, which willenable closing of the carton about the contents without a gluingoperation, and which provides for a tighter and more compact carton whenfilled and closed.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from thefollowing description of a preferred embodiment of the invention takenin connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure l is a perspective view of the carton in semifinished condition,as delivered from the manufacturer, ready for the placing of containerstherein, the view showing the carton in perspective in partially opencondition.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the carton after it has been fullyerected as the containers arebeing'placed ton after partial closingthereof just preliminary to the final closing operation.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary elevational view showing the carton when fullyerected and open, ready for filling with cans, and illustratingschematically the means for holding the carton open.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the entire carton showing the cartonin the finished packed condition with the containers thenein and thecarton fully closed.

Figure 6 is fragmentary, sectional view taken in a plane indicated bythe line 6-6 in Figure 5.

Figure 7 is a plan View of the carton blank.

This application is a continuation-in-part of my copending applicationSerial No. 391,917, filed November 13, 1953, now abandoned.

In the packing of containers filled with products, for example, beercans, and in packing such cans in one style of carton, it is customaryto provide side openings in the carton through which the contents can beviewed. This type of carton has met Wide consumer acceptance, andheretofore it has been the practice in filling the carton to adhesivelysecure certain portions of the carton to other portions thereof toprovide the final erected and filled package. Where gluing is effectedas a part of the filling and closing operation, such cartons must beheld for a period of time to allow the glue to set,'and this holdingrequired relatively expensive units.

The instant invention is designed to provide a carton of the abovecharacter which does not require any gluing in the final closingoperation, and which can be easily erected from a flat collapsedcondition to an open condition in the carton filling and closingoperation. The carton of the instant invention is also designed topropide for easy holding of the carton in fully erected and openposition for the insertion of cans therein, and also provides forclosing to a desirable compact condition. f

To accomplish these ends, the carton is formed with side flaps along theside and end edges of the carton which side flaps are of different widthto present projectingjside flap portions which are oifset in thecollapsed condition of the carton for engagement from above or below bysuitable automatic means to eifect the erecting of a carton. Also, theend flaps of the carton are notched .or recessed at their corners so asto provide clearance for flap holding members to engage underneath thetop side fiap portion and above the bottom side flap portion. Also, thecorner folds are provided with specially located bend lines to provide atighter corner fold.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2, the carton is constructed symmetricallywith respect to an endpanel 10 and has respective top and bottom panels11 and 12 secured to the end panel 10 by score lines or'bend lines 13and 14.. The top panel 11 is connected by a bend line 16 to an end panelportionv 17 and the bottom panel '12 is similarly connected by a bend orscore line 18 to an end panel portion 19. The end panel portions 17 and19 are overlapped and. adhesively secured together as a part of thecarton manufacturing operation. Continuous side flaps are attached tothe respective panels of the carton in cluding respective opposite sideflaps '21 connected by respective score lines 22 to the panel 11,respective side flaps 23 connected to the end panel 10 by score or bendlines 24, and similar side flaps 26 on end panel portions 17 and 19connected to such end panel portions by score lines 27. The score lines13, 14, 16 and 18 are continued through the side flaps to form hingelines therebetween. Suitable finger holes 25 are provided in an endpanel.

The bottom panel 12 also has side flaps 28 at either side thereofconnected thereto by score lines 29. At the respective corners where theside flaps 21, 23, 26 and 28"are joined, a v-shaped cut-away 30 isprovided so that when the carton is erected as seen, for example,in'Figures 2 and 5, clearance is'provided by the recessed end portionsof the respective end panel portions 23 and 26 so that with the cartontravelling longitudinally a rail '35 may travel beneath each upper sideflap 21 and similar rails may travel above the lower side flap portions28 so as to positively hold the carton in erected and open position forinsertion of containers after the cartons have traveled over therespective rails 35 leaving an unobstructed full side opening forinsertion of the cans 40. The side flaps 21 and 28 are similar, butopposite to each other and perform a container retaining function asseen in Figure 5 in the closed condition of the carton, while the sidepanel portions 23 and 26 on the respective end panels of the carton aretucked in and form carton retaining flaps which are folded behind theadjacent container flat against the adjacent end panel, and are retainedin position by the containers.

In order to enable the folding of the continuous side flap portions, therespective side flaps 23 and 26 are provided with diagonal score or bendlines 31 at each end whereby a corner fold of the gusset type may bemade at each corner. Preferably the diagonal score line 31 at eachcorner is located 06 of a center position to draw in the side flaps 21and 28 to a more compact position and thereby reduce the tendency ofthese side flaps to bulge slightly when in closed condition. In thepresent instance the diagonal score line is placed at about 4- degreesfrom the 45 degree angle position that would bisect the 9.0 degreeanglebetween-the bend lines 24 and 13, for example, so that 'thefiatportion 23b of the gusset fold betweenthebendlines '13 and 31 (definedby angle a in Figure 4) is shorterthan the flap portion 230 .containedbetween the bend lines 24 and 31 (shown by angle 1) in Figure 4). Whentheiiap 23 is bent '180'degrees fiat againstthe end panel 10, the sideflap 21 is bent .siightly more than 90 degrees. This provides a morecornpact carton which handles more readily in automatic equipmcnt'andcan be packed easily in groups in a larner shipping container.

It will'be noted that the end side flaps 23 and 26 have centrale'xtens'ions23a and 26!: at each .sidewhich pro- .fi'deportions ofgreater'lateral width than the :si'de'flaps .f21'and 28 of the panels 11and '12. In a collapsed vor semi-collapsed condition of the carton, theend side flaps .26 .each have a projection 26a along the bottom .portionof the carton and the side flaps 23 each have a projecting portion 23aunderlying the carton which are offset from each otherlongitudinally ofthe carton in its collapsed condition. Each flap portion 261. can beengaged frorn'below while each side flap 23a-can'be engaged'frorn above.to assist in erecting the carton and to make an initial bend .at thevarious .corner fold lines to help in carton opening.

IFigure 2 shows the condition of the carton during the insertion of (thecontainers therein, the number of con- .tainerszbeing six in the presentinstance. The next opera- ;tion in the closing of the carton is to bendthe end side flaps 23 and 26 in, and .the respective side flaps 21and-2'8 downand up respectively, as indicated by the arrows .inIEigure 3,the.side.'fiaps..23 and 26 being thereby bent 9.0 degrees from theFigure 2 position to .the position thereof showniin Figure .3. After thecarton .is conditionedasshown in'Figure 3, the end side 'fiaps '23 and26 :are pushed .inward 'for another 9'0 degree bend linithe direction ofthe arrow shown in Figure 3, and in'Figure 6, .to place the flapextensions 23!: and 26a between one of the containers 40 and flatagainst the adjacent end panel 10,17 or .19. Preferably the total lengthof an end flap '23,, including the extension 2311 .(and an end 'flap.26, including the extension 26a) is such that it isless thanone-.guarter .the width of theend panel .10 .(or -the end panel 17)-.-so that .the end -s ide v.fiapsterminate short of the point-ofclosest approach-of the container tothe end wall. Also, .these .end side.flaps should be of sufiicient length to overlap and .to be lockedinposition-bylthe "adjacent container.

While I have shown and described .a preferred embodiment oftheinvention, it will .be apparent that theinvention .is capable .of.rnodification and variation -from .the form 'shown,.so.that.its scopeshould be limited-only'by the scope of theclaim appended hereto.

I claim:

'Ina carton and containerpackage, said carton having respective top andbottom panels joined at one end by an end panel hinged thereto andhavingend panel portions at their other ends for securing together toform a second end panel, side flap portions along each of said panelsand joined thereto by .respective coplanar bend lines; adjacent ends ofsaid side flap portions being integrally hinged to one another alonga'fold line extending at right angles to the bend lines; the endsrof theflap portions of the end panels only having gusset :folds; asaid cartonwith'said panel portions secured together in an erected-conditionforming a rectangular receptacle open at both sides with the side flapportions extended in the respective planes of the respectiveitop andbottom and end panels for introduction of containers, each of the sideflap portions attached to an end panel having recesses at ends, eachrecess intersecting the adjacent fold line at a point spaced inwardly ofthe adjacent side flap portion, whereby in said erected and opencondition the side flap portions attached to the top and bottom panelsmay beheld in place to maintain the open condition of said side 'flapportions by a rail positioned in a recess and in flush engagement withsaid adjacent side fiap portion; said carton'in its erected and closedcondition having containers therein with the ends of the containerssubstantially contacting said top and bottom panels and with the sidesof certain containers substantially contact- 7 ing said respective endpanels; the side flap portions connected to said top and bottom panelsbeing of diiferent width than the side flap portions connected to-saidend panelsandyproviding laterally offset projections on said side flapportions in the collapsed condition of the carton .in which two .of saidpanels form an upper layer and two of said panels form a lower layer,the wider or said side .fiap portions being disposed respectively in theupper and lower layers of said carton, and facilitating the handling vofthe .carton in the erecting operation; .in the erected and closedcondition of the carton, .the side flap portions connected to the topand bottom panels extending .toward one another in a common plane at theopen end and substantially contacting the sides of the container .and:side .fiap portions connected .to said end panels lying inside of andflatagainst the end panels respectively .and being held thereagainst bycontainers in thecarton.

References Cited in the'file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

